Cities

Belgrade

Belgrade is not only the administrative centre of Serbia, but it’s also where its culture heart beats. Here the ways of artists and tradespeople cross, many festivals and concerts take place, here you can taste delicious foods from all parts of the world and marvel at the beautifull architecture of this truly multicultural city. We can often find a small, few hundred years old building next to the modern block of flats and a baroque church all on one street. Such crazy combinations make up the unique atmosphere of Belgrade, not only in architecture, but also in the cacophony of sounds we hear while walking through the same streets at night, when in numerous kafanas Tamburaši bands visit, play and sing for the guests. The biggest number of these kafanas can be found in Skadarlija – artistic, bohemian district of Belgrade.

You also must see the enormous Kalemegdan Fortress with beautiful view on the confluence of Sava and Danube. Kalemegdan gives some space to those of us who are tired with the noise of the city. In its walls there is a big park, zoo, playfields for various sports as well as the Military Museum (with a famous exhibition of tanks and cannons in Kalemegdan park). This is also where the biggest beer festival in this part of Europe – Belgrade Beerfest – takes place every year.

It’s impossible to count all architectural beauties of Belgrade, but we have to mention the St. Sava Church, which is one of the biggest such buildings in the world. It is not finished yet inside, the works are still in progress and the history of this building is very turbulent and worth learning about. The raw interior already greatly impresses every visitor, so it’s definitely worth it to take a look inside.

Subotica

Subotica is one of the most famous cities in Vojvodina region, and the city centre is very beautiful. The most important buildings are: 1902 Synagogue, 1908 town hall, 1894 Library and 1894 Reichle Palace. The National Theatre facade is also worth mentioning, as well as buildings decorated with beautiful ceramic work. While you’re in the city centre you must also visit famous Serbian writer’s – Danilo Kiš – museum.

Palić Lake. source: serbia.travel, author: D. Bosnić

Eight kilometres from Subotica there is Palić Lake, important recreational centre, where many cultural events take place every year (amongst them is the International Film Festival “Palić”). Next to the lake there are many wineries, where you can try aromatic, local wines as well as characteristic cuisine of Vojvodina, which is a mix of Hungarian and Serbian traditions.

Subotica and Horgoš Region is also a great place for the horseback riding lovers – you can find horse studs in Kelebija and Zobnatica, where you can rent a horse or even the whole horsecab.

Novi Sad

Second by the size city in Serbia, often said to be the Athens of Serbia is definitely one of mandatory stops on your way to or even only through Serbia. Navi Sad’s hayday was in XVII centrury, but the city remembers the antient times too. In XVIII century this capital city of Vojvodina has become the cultural center that it is today.

Trg Slobode, Novi Sad. source: serbia.travel, author: B. Jovanović

The most characteristic place in Novi Sad is the Freedom Square (Trg Slobode) with a Roman-catholic Kathedral (XIX cetnury), a monument of Svetozar Miletić and a neorenesance Town Hall building, modelled on another Town Hall in the Austrian city of Graz. You should take a walk down Njegoševa, Zmaj Jovina and Laze Telečkog streets, that are full of historical buildings as well as kafes and kafanas, which make up the atmosphere of this vibrant city.

The Dunavska Street will take you to the Danube River, next to Dunavski Park – the most beautiful park in the city.

Petrovaradin, Novi Sad. source: serbia.travel, author: D. Bosnić

One of the most important monuments of Novi Sad is the Petrovaradin Fortress raised to protect the city. It’s currently a great tourist attraction as well as home to The Novi Sad Academy of Arts.

In Novi Sad there are many hotels and hostels, restaurants, cafes, pubs and music clubs. Every year the city is the host of the famous EXIT Festival, which takes place in Petrovaradin Fortress and is one of the biggest such festivals in Cetral Europe. Every year, the EXIT festival has around 100 000 visitors.

Sremski Karlovci

Localized 11 kilometres from Novi Sad, Sremski Karlovci is a town that used to be the cultural heart of Serbia for over 200 years. Right now we can visit some of the most important buildings that had tremendous significance for the Serbian State. Among others, tourists should visit the baroque church of St. Nikola from 1762, the seat of the Srem Episkopate from the XIX century as well as the oldest Gymnasium in Serbia.

Sremski Karlovci region is known for its beauty and wine culture. Tourists should taste some local foods, for example at the Honey and Wine Museum at Metropolite Stratimirovica Street. 4,5 kilometres from the city there is Stražilovo – great place for rest and recreation, where one of the most famous romantic poets of Serbia – Branko Radičević – is buried.

Niš

Niš is one of the oldest cities in the Balkans on the crossroads connecting Europe with the Middle East. One of the two most important roads runs from the north to Morava and Athens and the second one, in ancient times called Via Militaris – leads to Sofia and Istambul.

Niš also has a very interesting history. There were settlements in its surroundings dating back to neolithic and early bronze age. Before the Roman Empire times there were Dardans, Ilirians and Celts living in Niš. The Celts named the city Naissus (The city of Nymphs). In Roman times Niš has become the military, administrative and economic centre, especially after Constantine the Great was born there in 274.

Between 6th and 10th century Niš was attacked by Huns, Avars, Slavs, Hungarians and Bulgarians. At last, in 1189 Niš was conquered by Stefan Nemanja- a Serbian Prince, and 200 years later it was ruled by the Ottoman Turks. The grim remainder of the Turkish conquest is the skull tower, where the Turkish placed almost a thousand skulls of the dead Serbian soldiers. Niš was released from Turkish reign in 1878 and then it became the seat of Serbian government, as well as the National Assembly (this function was held by the city up to the World War I).

Traces of these events are scattered around the city and its surroundings, and the most important are the following:

Niš Fortress – One of the best preserved Turkish Fortresses in the Balkans, built in 1723.

Čegar – monument, which was raised to honor Stevan Sindjelić and his soldiers, whose skulls were put in the Skull Tower by Ottoman Turks.

Liberators of Niš monument – raised in 1937 to commemorate people fighting for the liberation of Niš.

Red Cross Camp – Nazi work camp

Memory Park Bubanj – One of the biggest places of execution in Serbia during the WW II.

Kragujevac

Kragujevac is the fourth by the size cities of Serbia with over 180 thousand citizens, localized in the cetre of beautiful Šumadija region, surrounded by Rudnik, Crni Vrh and Gledić mountains.

Beautiful surroundings are not the only attraction in Kragujevac, which is also very important for Serbian history. It was mentioned in 1476 for the first time as a small village with only 32 houses, and in 1818 Prince Miloš Obrenović proclaimed it the Serbian capital. Kragujevac was also where the first Serbian Court was established (1820), as well as the first primary school (1833), theatre (1835) and the Licej University (1838). In 1884 the first power plant in Serbia was built. In the city there are also: Nation Museum of Kragujevac, Museum of the Old Foundry, that shows 1,5 centuries of industrial progress and Old Orthodox Church which makes Kragujevac a great destination for people interested in history and architecture.

Kragujevac is also where many cultural events takes place every year, such as OKTOH (International Salon of Anti-war Cartoon), International Chamber Choirs Festival, Folklore shows, JazzFest and Serbian theatrical festival – Joakim Fest.